Boxer Paul Bamba Dies at Age 35; Was WBA Gold Cruiserweight Champion

Boxer Paul Bamba died Friday at the age of 35, just six days after winning the WBA Gold Cruiserweight Championship.

Grammy Award-winning singer Ne-Yo, who signed Bamba to his management company in November, released a statement regarding Bamba's passing on Instagram, writing:

"It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of beloved son, brother, friend and boxing champion Paul Bamba, whose light and love touched countless lives.

"He was a fierce yet confident competitor with an unrelenting ambition to achieve greatness. But more than anything, he was a tremendous individual that inspired many with his exceptional drive and determination. We are heartbroken by his passing and kindly ask for privacy and understanding during this difficult time as we collectively navigate our grief."

Bamba, who was from Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, beat Rogelio Medina for the vacant WBA Gold World Cruiserweight Championship by sixth-round technical knockout on Dec. 21.

That marked the 14th consecutive win for Bamba, who posted a record of 19-3 during his professional boxing career.

Every fight during Bamba's winning streak occurred in 2024, as he ran his career record from 5-3 to 19-3 over the course of the year.

Bamba was scheduled to face Tommy Fury, who is the younger brother of former world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, back in November 2022, but the bout was called off and never rescheduled.

After beating Medina last week, Bamba called out Jake Paul, who is coming off a victory over legendary Hall of Fame heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson.

Paul wrote, "RIP Paul Bamba," in a post Friday night on X.